Associated PressMayor Michael Bloomberg and the city Economic Development Corporation created a series of 12 business incubators around the city since 2009. He has his sights set on Staten Island for the next one.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- At the Entrepreneur's Space, emerging cooks can leave their own homes behind and step into a shared commercial kitchen in Queens where they can test the market for their recipes and potentially open their own restaurants.

It is one of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's 12 business incubators -- cooperative offices for budding start-ups, entrepreneurs and freelancers in the same industry who are seeking affordable workspace in a crowded city.

Now Bloomberg has his sights set on Staten Island to become home to the thirteenth: A Request for Proposals was issued by the city Economic Development Corporation on Wednesday to create a business incubator here.

"We are continuing to build on our efforts to spur economic development across Staten Island," said EDC president Seth W. Pinsky. "Along with important development projects moving forward on the North Shore waterfront, this new incubator will encourage innovation and entrepreneurship, and once again demonstrate that the future of Staten Island is bright."

Considered will be programs catering to start-ups and small businesses in the technology, new media, services, arts and cultural and culinary sectors, according to the RFP. The preferred incubator will be accessible via public transportation to the St. George Ferry Terminal.

Essentially, it works like this: The selected incubator finds a space to operate, either purchased or leased, with the EDC contributing money to off-set start-up costs. So far, the EDC has given between $100,000 to $250,000 to the 12 incubators already operating.

The incubator then offers low rents to its tenants while providing shared programming, educational and networking opportunities.

More than 500 start-up businesses are currently located in city-sponsored incubators, ranging from tech companies, food manufacturers, fashion designers and artists.

So far these companies have raised more than $90 million in investor funding.

"We look forward to establishing a business incubator on Staten Island, which will introduce businesses to the abundant opportunities that our borough offers," said Borough President James P. Molinaro. "The borough of Staten Island represents some of the best living standards, cultural, recreational, and educational opportunities in our region."

Business incubators are not a new concept.

The first dates back to 1956 when a hardware store manager converted a warehouse in Batavia, N.Y., and rented it out to a number of tenants, including a winery, a charitable organization and a chicken processor. After seeing newly hatched chicks running around the warehouse, he termed it an incubator.

Today, there are about 1,200 incubators in the United States, according to the National Business Incubation Association.

"I am pleased that despite the slow economic recovery, the city has continually moved forward to help city residents start their own businesses," said Councilwoman Debi Rose (D-North Shore).

"The first-city sponsored business incubator on Staten Island is major encouragement for a borough which flourishes on the economic success of small businesses."

Councilman James Oddo (R-Mid-Island/Brooklyn) said he supports the city's efforts to entice "both homegrown and off-Island entrepreneurs to work out of Staten Island."

"The entrepreneurs of today who are willing to take a risk create the jobs of tomorrow, and I want those jobs created and located on Staten Island," he said.